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abortion

 - 6 dictionary results

a⋅bor⋅tion

[uh-bawr-shuhn]
–noun
1. Also called voluntary abortion. the removal of an embryo or fetus from the uterus in order to end a pregnancy.
2. any of various surgical methods for terminating a pregnancy, esp. during the first six months.
3. Also called spontaneous abortion. miscarriage (def. 3).
4. an immature and nonviable fetus.
5. abortus (def. 2b).
6. any malformed or monstrous person, thing, etc.
7. Biology. the arrested development of an embryo or an organ at a more or less early stage.
8. the stopping of an illness, infection, etc., at a very early stage.
9. Informal.
a. shambles; mess.
b. anything that fails to develop, progress, or mature, as a design or project.

Origin:
1540–50; < L abortiōn- (s. of abortiō). See abort, -ion
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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a·bor·tion   (ə-bôr'shən)   
n.  
    1. Induced termination of a pregnancy with destruction of the embryo or fetus.

    2. Any of various procedures resulting in the termination of a pregnancy. Also called induced abortion.

  1. See miscarriage.

  2. Cessation of normal growth, especially of an organ or other body part, prior to full development or maturation.

  3. The premature ending or abandonment of an undertaking.

  4. Something that is regarded as poorly made or done.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: abor·tion
Pronunciation: &-'bor-sh&n
Function: noun
1 : the termination of a pregnancy after, accompanied by, or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetus; especially : the medical procedure of inducing expulsion of a human fetus to terminate a pregnancy
2 : the crime of procuring or performing an illegal abortion abortion —W. Railroad LaFave and A. W. Scott, Junior> —see also Roe v. Wade and Webster v. Reproductive Health Services in the IMPORTANT CASES section
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: abor·tion
Pronunciation: &-'bor-sh&n
Function: noun
1 : the termination of a pregnancy after, accompanied by, resultingin, or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetus: a : spontaneous expulsion of a human fetus during the first 12 weeks of gestation —compare MISCARRIAGE b : induced expulsion of a human fetus c : expulsion of a fetus of a domesticanimal often due to infection at any time before completion of pregnancy —see CONTAGIOUS ABORTION, TRICHOMONIASIS b, VIBRIONIC ABORTION
2 : arrest of development of an organ so that it remains imperfect or is absorbed
3 : the arrest of a disease in its earliest stage <abortion of acold>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

abortion a·bor·tion (ə-bôr'shən)
n.

  1. The expulsion of an embryo or fetus before it is viable.

  2. A miscarriage.

  3. An aborted organism.

  4. Cessation of normal growth, especially of an organ or other body part, before full development or maturation.

  5. The arrest of an action or process before its completion.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Science Dictionary
abortion   (ə-bôr'shən)  Pronunciation Key 
  1. Induced termination of pregnancy, involving destruction of the embryo or fetus.

  2. Any of various procedures that result in such termination.

  3. Spontaneous abortion; miscarriage.

  4. Cessation of a normal or abnormal process before completion.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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